1. Beach Bliss
An easy staycation with some of the best restaurants to boot, Fairmont The Palm is a favourite with those who take laid-back luxury in their stride. With views of both the Arabian Gulf and Dubai’s twinkling shoreline, the setting is pretty stellar. Make the most of its prime positioning with its ‘Stay On Us’ GCC resident’s offer this summer, which allows you to book a Fairmont Room for Dhs500 with the rate fully redeemable as F&B credit to use across the resort. Meaning that after a day spent around its beautiful palm-fringed pool, you can dine at Little Miss India, Ba - Boldly Asian, Frevo and more virtually for free. Indulge at leisure.
2. The Extra Mile
Those looking for a little more from their staycation than bed, breakfast and beach-time should check out Hilton Ras Al Khaimah Resort & Spa, where its summer ‘shortcation’ UAE residents deal gives those booking a three-night stay complimentary access to either Suwaidi Pearl Farm or any of the bucket-list activities at Jebel Jais Adventure Peak. So while you relax into your well-earned summer break, you know you’re also getting something exciting out of your stay. Rooms start from Dhs890 a night, with breakfast, multiple pools and a two-kilometre beach all part of the package.
3. Island In The Arabian Sun
An eternal favourite for anyone wanting to stay close to home yet feel a million miles away, Anantara The Palm is an urban island escape like no other. This summer, its exclusive UAE residents staycation offer lets guests tailor-make a package to suit every need. With rates starting from Dhs700, you can choose from a room or villa (the over-water villas are pretty special), enjoy breakfast for two each morning, and enjoy 25 per cent savings on selected resort activities, as well as at the hotel’s award-wining restaurants, such as beautiful Mekong, the laid-back Lotus Lounge, or Bushman’s with some of the best steak in town. If you stay up a little too late, no problem... Your 4pm check-out should help blow away any cobwebs, as will a dip in the hotel’s 50 metre infinity pool or aboard a chartered cruise around Jumeirah’s famous archipelago.
4. An Escape From The City
After months of being cooped up inside, a breath of fresh air is very much required, and few ‘staycation’ destinations offer such a jaw-dropping backdrop as JA Hatta Fort Hotel. With the horizon presenting uninterrupted views of the majestic Hajar Mountains, and milder temperatures than the UAE’s bustling cities, the location is almost as tempting as the hotel’s offerings. From just Dhs369 a room this summer, you will also get 50 per cent off your third night, whilst enjoying one of two pools, crazy golf, tennis, archery, rifle shooting or a visit to the hotel’s shaded mini zoo. Locally, there’s also kayaking, pedal-boat rides at Hatta Dam and hiking. Something for everyone.
5. Urban Elegance
Melia Desert Palm’s ‘Summer Getaway’ offer this summer lets guests take over a two-bedroom private pool villa in the heart of 160 acres of lush polo fields for just Dhs7,999 for four guests for two nights. Included in your bucolic oasis staycation will be an in-villa BBQ, a family picnic set up for one day, a bottle of non-alcoholic bubbles and sumptuous breakfasts. If you’re all in for the full experience, hire your own BBQ chef for the night, so you can kick back in plush luxury for a dinner under the stars where you really don’t have to lift a finger.
6. Member Of The Club
When looking for a staycation to reward yourself for staying at home, location really plays a part in where one goes. You’ll probably agree, then, that Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi has really plumped itself in the right spot, on the banks of The Grand Canal, and right beside Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. With Venetian-style design, fringed by legendary Arabic luxury, the hotel is grand, opulent and a beautiful city bolt-hole for those seeking urban escapism. One of the greenest hotels in Abu Dhabi courtesy of its sprawling Grand Lawn and Pool Garden, there’s also an olive garden and a canal-front beach, breathing ample space into this property.
And with sunrises over Al Maqta Creek to star-lit illuminations courtesy of the mosque, you know you’ve found a special spot. Stay in the Venetian Village for a true slice of la vita è bella, and spend your day by the 1,599sqm pool, soaking up the art at nearby The Louvre museum, before indulging your senses on beautiful Asian fare at Li Jiang or sublime steak at The Forge. For the summer months, running until September 30, Marriott Bonvoy members who book via the website below will receive two per cent discount on rates during the week and five per cent on weekends, hotel credit equivalent to Dhs200 per night, and a complimentary upgrade to the next room category.
7. Race You To It
While we wait for the next horse racing season to roll around, you can take advantage of the green and tranquil oasis of the Meydan Hotel, with sprawling views over Downtown Dubai and Meydan Racecourse. To celebrate the hotel’s reopening, the hotel has launched an amazing new staycation deal... With rooms starting at Dhs399, you’ll get complimentary breakfast, Dhs200 redeemable F&B credits and a flexible refund policy. With rates as good as that, and a swimming pool that looks like this (see below), how could you possibly say no? Time to escape to bucolic bliss in this contemporary, urban masterpiece.
8. Now, For Something A Bit Different
A hotel that hates the ordinary and loves the different, Radisson RED, Silicon Oasis, is a brand new property full of colour, creativity and style. The beauty of this hotel is its energy - on one hand it’s eclectic with an eye-popping avant-garde design, and on the other, it feels like a breath of fresh air in a city filled with hotels fuelled on grandeur and opulence. Its contemporary aesthetic will certainly appeal to those looking to stand out from the crowd, while its high-tech approach will cater to the cool crowd seeking constant connectivity and somewhere vibrant for work, rest and play. This summer, it has launched a new ‘in-room drinks package’ that offers guests staying the night a special two-hour window to enjoy drinks on the hotel, as well as a 40 per cent discount off food. What this means, is that effectively you get happy hour brought to you, so you don’t have to lift a finger. You can sit on your sofa, stream your favourite TV shows, get those perfect Instagram shot all whilst sipping on your sundowners. Oh, and the best bit... If you have a pet, you’re welcome to bring it along too. Well, they do say ‘the more, the merrier’, don’t they?
9. A Fine Urban Escape
A hotel known for its ode to Arabian heritage, as well as its opulence of design, a stay at The St. Regis Abu Dhabi is nothing short of magical. Just walk through the hotel doors to be welcomed by the two-sided marble staircase and twinkling chandeliers and you’ll know what we mean. Located on the lavish coastline of Abu Dhabi’s west Corniche, you’re also in prime position for the best city views and access to the UAE capital’s cultural attractions. To make your stay that little bit sweeter, the hotel’s ‘Staycation Offer by the Beach’ package serves up early check-in, non-alcoholic welcome drinks from the mini bar, late check-out at 3pm and a daily lunch at either the award-winning Villa Toscana restaurant or at the relaxing Cabana Beach Bar & Grill. Throw in 200 metres of white beach, access to the private Nation Riviera Beach Club, and a newly-renovated swimming pool, and you’ve found yourself rather an exquisite summer escape.
10. Sport, Soul & Serenity
A staycation for those seeking sports with a side order of social distancing, a few days at The Westin Abu Dhabi Golf Resort & Spa, amid the rolling greenery of its fairways, should have you putting and peaced out in no time. With a 27-hole championship golf course, three swimming pools, a world-renowned Heavenly Spa (for when we’re allowed) and complimentary access to Saadiyat Beach Club, there’s much to keep active bods busy. This summer, take advantage of its Stay & Refresh staycation package, with rooms from Dhs600, Dhs150 credit on F&B, complimentary dining for two kids, and further discounts on food and spa. And.... Relax.
11. The Royal Touch
Arguably the most lavish hotel in Abu Dhabi, Emirates Palace, this beach-front property is plumped perfectly at the end of the Corniche with easy access to the Grand Mosque, Qasr Al Hosn, The Louvre, and Yas Waterworld. Surrounded by pristine private beach and marina, and offering exceptional grandeur inside, alongside 13 award-winning restaurants, it’s a special place to stay. If, like us, you’re keen to book, opt for the Summer at the Palace offer, with rooms from Dhs990, inclusive of breakfast at Le Vendôme Brasserie, complimentary Abu Dhabi airport transfers and children under 12 staying for free.
12. Something For Everyone
A favourite amongst UAE residents who like a side order of shopping with their staycation, Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates really combines the best of every world. Situated in Al Barsha, just a 10 minute drive from the beach, its central location allows for myriad exploring. But, what truly makes it a catch, is the fact that it’s attached to Mall of the Emirates, with direct access through the lobby to one of Dubai’s favourite shopping destinations. What this means, is that Ski Dubai, with its indoor piste and penguins, VR adventures at Dreamscape, family fun at Yalla! Bowling and Magic Planet all sit happily beside some of the best luxury shopping in the city. Home to the likes of Chanel, Gucci, Dior and Charlotte Tilbury, as well as an Apple store, shopaholics, tech-lovers and fun seekers will find plenty to do.
When it’s time to put your bags down and rest weary feet, you can do so into the comfort of a Grand Deluxe Room, with the hotel’s Special Staycation Offer. Rooms start from Dhs899, and include breakfast for a family of four, 20 per cent savings on all restaurants, early check-in at 10am and check-out at 4pm, and, if you book a second room, you’ll get 50 per cent off the rate, or two complimentary tickets to Ski Dubai Snow Park or a Dhs200 dining credit to use within the hotel. Looking for something special to top off your stay? Then indulge in fondue at the foot of a piste at Après, slink into Salero Tapas & Bodega for a night of Flamenco, sangria and paella, or kick back in Vox’s fully-licensed Private Cinema at Kempinski Mall of the Emirates, the perfect place for intimate movie nights. So many ways to sate your staycation appetite this summer.